Fledgling Demigod Ch. 08

"So what you're saying is I got lucky," he said.

"Extremely lucky," she said. "Even with my help."

"You helped me when I portaled here?" he asked, incredulous.

"It took every ounce of what little power I had to keep you in one piece throughout the process," she said. "It literally drained me to the brink of death. In the end I figured out the only way to keep you from dying was to bond with you."

"That's why you don't have a body of your own," he reasoned.

"I literally allowed it to be consumed to keep you alive," she said and sighed. "The backlash was I don't know what I looked like so I can't just go 'poof' and recreate my body."

"So, what? You're a figment of my imagination?" he asked.

"In a manner of sorts, yes," she replied. "You can see me, touch me, kiss me, fuck me, and everything in between but you're the only one that can interact with me."

"Talk about schizophrenia," he chuckled.

"That would be exactly what it is," she said. "Also, that's the reason I wasn't able to reveal myself to you before. I had no power left and am still drained. I'd need another six months of recovery before getting back to full power."

"Wait," he said looking at her. "You mean to tell me what I did the day Miranda and Matilda were abducted was the extent of your power, but it wasn't even your full power?"

"I gave you all I could," she said and a sad expression came over her. "But it wasn't enough. I'm so sorry I couldn't help you to save them. They weren't meant to die, Galen."

"Stop," he said and even though he was still grieving, he moved to comfort her. "It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have predicted what insanity they were planning." He wrapped his arms around her and as he did, her clothes instantly changed from Lucinda's guard uniform to the green dress she wore on their walk through the market.

"Thank you," she said, sniffling slightly.

"Hey," he said as he tilted her head up to look in her eyes. They were filled with tears. "Come on, now. Goddesses aren't supposed to cry."

She chuckled. "They're not supposed to care so much about their followers either, yet here we are," she said, playful and sarcastic. She moved forward and kissed him. It was a brief kiss, but it was passionate as well. Her tongue darted into his mouth once to taste his then she broke it. She looked into his eyes and hers were big and round, almost as if she were baring her soul to him. "We are bonded, Galen. I don't entirely know what that means, yet, but for reasons I can't explain, I love you. I love you, and by extension I loved them."

He choked up as he held her in his arms. She lay her head against his chest and they just stood there holding each other in silence. Neither of them moved to part from the other as they took comfort in the other's embrace. Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke. "I don't blame you for their deaths, if that's what you think. I blame Jasper. You had nothing to do with that. The fact that you risked your life to help me in both coming to this world and saving my wives tells me all I need to know about your character." She looked up at him with wide, imploring eyes. "I'll be your Hero, Rebec-, I mean, Devi. I'll be your Champion. I'll be your Herald and your Priest." He leaned down and kissed her. "I'll be whatever you need me to be and I promise to do all I can to help you restore the power you lost."

She sighed and lay her head against his chest again. "Thank you, my love," she said. Looking back up at him she said, "And, by the way, I love her, too."

"Who?" Galen asked, confused.

She gave him a mischievous smile and nodded her head toward the door. "Her," she said as she disappeared and a soft knock sounded.

"My lord?" Lucinda called. "I mean, Galen?"

"Yes?" he called.

"I was wondering," she said through the door. "I mean, I thought."

"You're wondering if you can escort me to your room for the evening meal?" he asked with a playful smile as he opened the door.

"Um," she started to say but paused as she blushed deeply. Galen's heart sped up when he noticed what she was wearing. It was the exact same nightgown Devi had worn earlier when she'd inadvertently teased him. "I was wondering if you would... um..."

He shut her up with a kiss as he pulled her into the room. Galen thought he could hear a playful giggle in the back of his mind but the pounding of his heart in his head made it hard to hear. His cock was instantly rigid and his hands roamed across her body as he slammed the door shut behind her. The kiss was long and passionate. He moaned as he tasted every inch of her mouth.

She returned his kiss with equal passion and he picked her up by her butt as her hands roamed across his back and his head. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held on as he carried her to his bed.